Baby Books
by Chestnutlass
Summary: Brennan and Booth are preparing for a little one. Communication is just not thier strong suit. A sweet one-shot. Well actually now a two shot. I thought Booth needed to be heard too!
1. Brennan's POV

Six months. Six months, one week and three days to be exact. One night of "carefully planned passion" and here I was looking like I swallowed an ever expanding beach ball. This had been the desired result of our little foray into sexual experimentation. One thing was for certain, the confidence he expressed in his "swimmers" was NOT misplaced. It had only taken one trial to prove his hypothesis and here I sit awaiting to see the conclusion. My only disappointment was that we didn't have to opportunity to see if we could repeat the results.

The shelves on my wall are full of well read and annotated reference material on the subject of maternal and infant care, one thing that worries me are the numerous instances of conflicting information. One book recommended abstaining from all caffeine for the duration of pregnancy another proclaims up two cups of coffee was well within a healthy range. How could I process this like a scientist without solid irrefutable data and facts?

The sheer number of decisions that needed to be made about child rearing was daunting. Thus far I have established that I will breast-feed and have purchased a quality pump to make this possible upon my return to work. I have purchased glass baby bottles and an organic cotton layette. I have opted against co-sleeping despite its prevalence in many non-western cultures. My cerebellum aches with the stress of making all of the decisions for another human being, but I find that rubbing my abdomen is rather soothing on frayed nerves. Leaning back on the arm of the sofa I promise myself that I will close my eyes just long enough for the spell to pass.

"Bones!" He burst through my front door "Look what I got here!" Despite the fact that he still lives on the other side of town, he is at my house at least 5 evenings a week. My partner both in work and in the producing of progeny was suddenly in my living room carting an extremely cumbersome box. "Booth? What are you doing?" My tiered voice cannot hide a hint of annoyance at his intrusion. If he noticed, he didn't let on. Instead he kept right on talking. "It arrived just today! It is a Travelgear 3000, consumer reports gave it the best rating for safety on all 10 tests. I had it specially ordered!" Out of the box suddenly appears the object of such excitement. A stroller and car seat combination, similar to the hundred others I had examined at the Babymart last week. Except that this one looks like it could survive a nuclear attack, needs to be plugged in and recharged regularly and is outfitted in orange and black trim with a very familiar mark in the center of the seat.

I sigh "I notice that you had it ordered special." Booth's grin was that of a mischievous school boy "It was the Flyers special addition!"

Despite my misgivings I can't help but smile back at him. "It's hideous and ridiculous, but I am sure the child will love it." The couch sags as he flops on the sofa next to me. "Watcha studying tonight?" he inquires but grasps the book out of my hand. That gives away my intent instantly, 1001 Baby Names is fairly straightforward. "Baby names" he says slowly. My quickening pulse tells me that I am anxious about how he will respond. "Jeeze Bones, that is a heavy topic for tonight."

"Why? It is an inevitability. The fetus will need a name." I know instantly that once again I have said the wrong thing. "True Bones, but a baby's name is the first gift a parent gives to their child. Although I agree it needs to be done, if only so you will stop referring to our child as 'fetus."

"There is nothing wrong with fetus." I protest. "Fetus is an accurate description of its current level of development."

He shakes his head, but is smiling so I know he isn't angry. He glances over at me, "Do you really want to discuss this now?"

I smile back at him. "What makes you think that you get a vote, this was supposed to be my _fetus_." I emphasized the last word knowing it would get under his skin. Something about the hormones has made me enjoy our verbal sparring matches more.

"Hey that was a low blow there _momma_!" Now I glare, his choice of words is trying to get a rise out of me.

He laughs, it is one of my most favorite sounds in all the world. Something I desperately hope is an inherited trait. "Well what names have you found that strike your fancy?"

"No" I shake my head, "nothing fancy. I want our baby to have a solid strong name that will hold up in the academic field."

Again with the smiles, "Something solid that sounds good in an ESPN interview." It is clear our goals are not in harmony. "Well…" he looks at me seriously.

"I think I want something with meaning."

"I agree" he replies," but it has to be a name that won't get the kid teased. I have to admit Seeley didn't always go over well on the playground."

"But everyone calls you Booth. Not that we can name the baby that. Booth Booth is not a good name for a child" Even I know as that leaves my lips that it was a stupid comment. I plan on blaming it on hormones.

His face is shocked, but I can tell he is going to ignore the last comment. For that I am grateful "_NOW_ they do Bones, not when I was 8 they didn't. How did you feel about your name as a kid?"

"Well as you know I go by Brennan mostly. Even with Angela. But I am not sure if that is because of I dislike my name or if it just feels too personal." I love that I can be totally honest with Booth. "But really that was a name my parents found. Let's not forget that they really named me Joy."

"I know _Temperance_." He emphasized my first name for some reason. "Joy is a lovely name, but it doesn't suit you. It doesn't have mystery or well…pizzazz."

"So do you want to name it Pizzazz?" Another pregnancy moment. I read about this in 8 out 10 books I read, they call it 'baby brain.'

"Don't be ridiculous! Seriously though, any thoughts?"

"Actually, yes. Claude or Claudia for the French Anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss. His work studying the organization of families was groundbreaking."

Booth looks at me confused. "Levi Strauss, the guy who makes pants?"

I know how Booth must feel every time I lack comprehension of a popular culture reference. "No, Levi was his first name. This man's name was Claude, I said that already." I don't want to insult him, so I ask his opinion "What about you?"

" Since you agreed to let the baby have my last name, Brennan makes a pretty good middle name. What do you think? Or maybe Christine after your mother?"

I can't help it. His effortless compassion overwhelms me and I start to cry. I break out in heavy sobs, all I manage is a ragged "How…do…you…know…it's…a ….girl?" His arm is resting around me in an old familiar comforting way. When we sit like this it feels like family. Maybe someday. He offers me a tissue. "I don't know, I just, you know, feel it." I look up at him. I can't hide my surprise. "Booth I think it is a girl too."

"Well if it IS a boy I vote for Bobby. Bobby Clark was the best man the Flyers ever had!" I smile and give him a hug. There is NO way that our baby is going to be Bobby Booth.

February 23, 2010 10:17 a.m.

After 17 hours of labor, and more than a few arguments. Claudia Brennan Booth made her way into the world. 7 lbs. 11 oz. 19 inches long. A perfect 10 on the Apgar scale. What she didn't know was that as her daddy held her in his arms for the first time, his smile was not just for the perfect angel in his arms.

What this baby didn't know was that today her daddy asked her mommy to marry him.

What this baby didn't know was that despite a lifetime of fear and running away, the beautiful woman sleeping in the bed next to them had inexplicably and irrationally said….

Yes.


	2. Booth's POV

**Author's Note: This was originally supposed to be a one-shot, but after I was done I felt that Booth needed to be heard too. I took the exact same plot and dialogue but the internal monologue is now Booth's. It thought it gave a nice perspective. Because the ending of the last one was Booth's, this time I made the ending Brennan. What do you think? Did I kill a good thing? **

Crap. How did I get myself into this situation? The mother of my child living on the other side of a door that isn't mine. How did I let this happen? Again. I sat in the car for a minute thinking. Really I shouldn't be so upset. Really she had been great lately. Trying to let me be involved, despite her initial reservations. I actually was enjoying the surge of hormones lately. It had softened her. In more ways than one. Perhaps that was part of the problem her figure had softened in all the right places…. "ENOUGH!" I yell out loud at myself. Thinking about those things was not going to help my emotional well being. It wasn't that I thought of her as a one night stand. It hadn't been like that at all. I mean the sex was great. But I knew to her it was sex with a purpose. I was really hoping that I would have the chance to show her my 'technique' before…well…before…we were….successful. Even I didn't think it would work after one time. Double Crap.

In the back of my SUV is crammed an enormous box. I had waited weeks for it to arrive. Rebecca hadn't really let me be part of the "buying" process. Her mother had completely taken over and within a week of announcing the pregnancy had already been outfitted with enough "things" to provide for all the babies in the state of Virginia. This time wasn't like that. She seems to respect my 'alpha male' instinct to provide. I am sure it was purely anthropological or some other hooey. But frankly I didn't care the reason. I shoved _Becoming A Daddy _into the glove box. I know I am already a father, but I have a feeling that knowing what the latest facts and figures on being a baby-daddy may be…beneficial.

I head around to the trunk to get out my pride and glory. This kid is going to ride in style just like the dad. I ordered on the internet a month ago, and while I probably could afford to put a nice chunk of money in a college fund, some things can't be denied. It is heavier then I expect and I hoist it up on my shoulder. I already have her key in my hand, and I wish once again that she didn't lock me out. I remind myself that she has been very tolerant of my near daily visits, and even seemed happy when she finally gave me my own key, proclaiming it was too hard to get off the sofa so pregnant.

"Bones!" I all but fall in the door under the weight of the box. "Look what I got here!" As I come up the stair I see her lying across the sofa, looking rather exhausted, I feel a bit guilty for intruding but I really want to show her the stroller. "Booth? What are you doing?" She sounds tiered too, but something in her face tells me that I am welcome anyway so I continue. "It arrived just today! It is a Travelgear 3000, consumer reports gave it the best rating for safety on all 10 tests. I had it specially ordered!" I try to remove the stroller from the box. I wanted it to be dramatic, but it gets stuck and I feel sort of silly as I stand next to it waiting for her to respond.

She sighs "I notice that you had it ordered special." She looks at me with that usual mix of friendship and comfortable disdain. I can't help but grin wider. "It was the Flyers special addition!" I really am excited. It has a race bicycle aluminum frame. With reinforced steel undercarriage. The shocks are superb and it has an electric system that supports not only lights and music but will provide 'soothing vibrations' for fussy kids. And really it just looks really cool!

I feel a bit relieved as after a moment hesitation she smiles back at me. "It's hideous and ridiculous, but I am sure the child will love it." I am wiped after hauling that thing in, and drop down beside her on the sofa. "Watcha studying tonight?" I pull the book out of her hand expecting it to be something about raising a baby in Swahili or the introduction of ancient languages during toddlerhood, but I am a bit breathless at the simplicity and the possible mine field in my hand. "Baby names" I nearly choke on the words. She already looks upset, and is so tiered I am not sure if this is a good idea. We have been doing so well in the 'bicker' department lately. So I say "Jeeze Bones, that is a heavy topic for tonight."

"Why? It is an inevitability. The fetus will need a name." I can hear the defensiveness in her voice, but I know she gets like this when she is anxious. So I try to make her feel at ease. "True Bones, but a baby's name is the first gift a parent gives to their child. Although I agree it needs to be done, if only so you will stop referring to our child as 'fetus." I joke that I hate when she calls our child a fetus, but I don't mind having a little inside joke with her either.

"There is nothing wrong with fetus." I can see her academic side coming out. "Fetus is an accurate description of its current level of development."

She seems more confidant, something I want her to be, and I can also see that this is not a topic we can avoid. "Do you really want to discuss this now?"

She gives me an alarmingly sexy smile. "What makes you think that you get a vote, this was supposed to be my _fetus_." She is playing a game with me, and I can't help but love her for it. Something about our little debates is intimate and bonding for the two of us, and lately she really has been getting into the fun. I decide to give it right back.

"Hey that was a low blow there _momma_!" I emphasis momma knowing how much she hates the…as she once put it colloquialism, but two can play this game. Her face makes me laugh, I can't help it. I look at her and try to get back on topic "Well what names have you found that strike your fancy?"

"No" she shakes her head, "nothing fancy. I want our baby to have a solid strong name that will hold up in the academic field."

I can't believe she just said that, but I now it is not in my best interest to correct her so instead I focus on the issue. "Something solid that sounds good in an ESPN interview." I want her to know that our child is going to be well rounded, the best of both of us. "Well…" surprisingly I really _am_ interesting in where this discussion going to go.

She pauses "I think I want something with meaning."

I was glad to hear it. "I agree." Meaning is good, but I want to pick a name that will protect my child. "But it has to be a name that won't get the kid teased. I have to admit Seeley didn't always go over well on the playground."

She looks at me with a hint of confusion. "But everyone calls you Booth. Not that we can name the baby that. Booth Booth is not a good name for a child"

This is too rich. Her face registers instantly that she feels like an idiot. Booth Booth is hilarious. But I know the one thing she is really sensitive about is the "baby brain." Being a genius is her thing, and saying ridiculous things hurts her. I am not idiot and once again let the humor slide. "_NOW_ they do Bones, not when I was 8 they didn't." I think about her name, Temperance could not have always brought flocks of friends. "How did you feel about your name as a kid?"

I can tell she is giving the answer a serious thought. "Well as you know I go by Brennan mostly. Even with Angela." I do know that, but I am curious how she feels about Temperance. To be honest sometimes I want desperately for her to open up to me. I am so glad when she continues. "But I am not sure if that is because of I dislike my name or if it just feels too personal." I feel a pang of guilt as she brings up the fact that Temperance isn't really her name. "But really that was a name my parents found. Let's not forget that they really named me Joy." I hate causing her pain, and I know that the idea of a family before Brennan is hard for her.

"I know _Temperance_." I emphasize her name to know I want to be personal, and to let her know that she is not Joy but Temperance and that is more than okay with me. "Joy is a lovely name, but it doesn't suit you. It doesn't have mystery or well" I pause trying to think of the perfect way to let her know that Temperance is ever so much more than Joy could ever be "pizzazz."

"So do you want to name it Pizzazz?" For a moment I think maybe she is kidding, but the pained look in her eye tells me otherwise. For a moment I think about letting it go again, but fear she will think I am condescending her if I say nothing. "Don't be ridiculous!" I think that is a pretty safe thought. But again am quick to redirect before she gets weepy on me. "Seriously though, any thoughts?" I am dying to know what name she has been researching when I walked in.

"Actually, yes. Claude or Claudia for the French Anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss. His work studying the organization of families was groundbreaking."

Families huh? That is actually kinda sweet. But I know that is not what she wants, or needs to hear. I make a decision to play into her game, and hope to ease the pain of some of her own misunderstandings tonight. "Levi Strauss, the guy who makes pants?" Although I don't know this Claude person I know it is not the jeans guy. But still I hope for a laugh.

I don't get a laugh but I can tell that it made her feel in control again, which works for me too. "No, Levi was his first name. This man's name was Claude, I said that already. What about you?"

I don't love Claude, but Claudia works. Claudia Booth. I think back to the fact that two months ago she gave me a card for my birthday that said the baby would be a Booth. I never let her know exactly how much that touched me. "Since you agreed to let the baby have my last name, Brennan makes a pretty good middle name. What do you think?" I am trying to read her face, but it has gone to that stoic stone place I can't always read, maybe she hates it. Ugh I ramble on trying to find a name that will make her happy. "Or maybe Christine after your mother?"

Oh crap, is all I can think, I really did it now. She starts to cry. I am trying to think what I can say to fix it when she goes first. "How…do…you…know…it's…a ….girl?" I totally misread her, I am a bit shocked at that fact. She wasn't sad she was happy. These hormones are going to kill me yet. I place my arm around her shoulder. My favorite position and hope she doesn't shrug me away. When we sit like this it feels like family. Maybe someday. I offer her a tissue. "I don't know" I say slowly not sure what to say, how do you explain intuition to a scientist? "I just, you know, feel it." She looks up at me with those big beautiful blue eyes and says something I will never forget. "Booth I think it is a girl too." Did my girl just make an intuitive leap?

I hate to see her cry, even happy tears. "Well if it IS a boy I vote for Bobby. Bobby Clark was the best man the Flyers ever had!" She smiles and gives me a hug. Somehow I doubt that she will let me name the baby Bobby Booth, but a guy has to hope…right?

February 23, 2010 10:17 a.m.

After 17 hours of labor, and an unplanned epidural. Claudia Brennan Booth made her way into the world. 7 lbs. 11 oz. 19 inches long. 10 fingers 10 toes and a crop of curly dark hair. What she didn't know was that her mommy was terrified of ending up alone.

What this baby didn't know was that for the past nine months the mommy had hoped against her own reason, that seeing his daughter would make him want to be a family.

What this baby didn't know was that her mommy wasn't asleep in the bed, but instead was watching the two people she loved most in the whole world and smiling. Because just hours before a miracle happened. A Mommy had let down her walls, let the daddy in, and the daddy said...

Will You Marry Me?


End file.
